Atos 22
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 22
Cole - There is a lot of confusion these days about what it means to be born again. A recent book by researcher Wade Roof, Spiritual Marketplace: Baby Boomers and the Remaking of American Religion, argues that today’s “born-again” Christians are united by emotions and experiences, not by shared doctrines or moral beliefs. One-third of America’s 77 million baby boomers identify themselves as born-again Christians, but only 5 percent of those have any link to a conservative Protestant denomination. Half say that religions other than Christianity are “equally good and true.” One-third believe in reincarnation and astrology. Nearly half support abortion (from The Watchman Expositor, vol. 18, number 1, 2001, p. 22). We all need to be clear about what constitutes true conversion. We need to know it for ourselves, so that we are sure about our own conversion. We need to know it for when we talk with others about spiritual matters, since clearly not all who profess to be born again are truly saved....Humanly speaking, Saul was not a likely candidate for salvation. It would be comparable to hearing that Saddam Hussein had gotten converted and had become an evangelist to the Arabs! There was no human explanation for Saul’s conversion! But there is no human explanation for any true conversion, because salvation is from the Lord, not from man. God is able to do what we cannot imagine. (An Unlikely Conversion)
Atos 22
Cole - Paul began the trip physically seeing, but spiritually blind. He ended it physically blind, but spiritually seeing. What he formerly thought that he saw, he no longer saw. What he formerly did not see, he now did see. What was formerly gain to him now was loss. What he formerly despised, he now cherished. Just as Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the great fish, so Saul was three days and nights in the dark. When the scales fell from his eyes, he saw everything in a new light, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ. Every truly converted person can say, “I once thought that I saw, but I was blind. Now, by God’s grace, I see.” (Play Amazing Grace). Acts 22:12 "And a certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, KJV Acts 22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, a man who was devout Acts 8:2; 17:4; Luke 2:25 well spoken of by all the Jews Acts 6:3; 10:22; 2 Cor 6:8; 1 Ti 3:7; Heb 11:2; 3 John 1:12 See Map of Events Associated with Saul's conversion and ministry (Do not copy - copyright by Holman) Watch video of Paul's arrest and speech before the crowd Acts 22 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ANANIAS A DEVOUT MAN OF GOOD REPUTATION Paul leaves out most of the details related to Ananias (see bold font below including that in red) And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Anania s.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord. And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake." (Acts 9:9-15+) In Acts 26 Paul gives additional details found neither in Acts 9 or Acts 22... But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes (BY PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL) so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ (Acts 26:16-18) And a certain Ananias - He is called a disciple in Acts 9:10+ which identifies Ananias as a believer or follower of Jesus. A man who was devout by the standard of the Law - He was "a devout man according to the Law" (NET) Law refers to the Law of Moses. This aspect of Ananias' character is not mentioned in Acts 9:10 but is likely mentioned here because Paul is addressing Jews who are zealous for the Law. So he presents Ananias a one who was devout by the standard of the Law. And of course Ananias was a follower of Christ, which demonstrates that although he was a believer he did not become anti-Semitic (in fact the Jews spoke well of him). Of course his audience would not have known that Ananias was a believer. Devout (2126)(eulabes from eu = good + lambano = lay hold of) literally means taking hold of well and is an adjective that describes one who properly receives someone or something, in this context, the Law of God. It means Annias had a proper, reverent estimation of the Law. Eulabes was used to describe Simeon as a man who "was righteous (dikaios) and devout (eulabes)." Simeon was a man who had well and rightly received the promises of God regarding the coming Messiah and which conveys the basic sense of eulabes as one who had taken seriously God's promises and God's Word. Thus Ananias' had an heart attitude that accepted the Word of God as true and right. He was not like the Pharisees in his heart, who gave external devotion to the Law, but had no genuine heart devotion. TECHNICAL NOTE: The Textus Receptus (source of KJV translation) has eusebes instead of eulabes, the former word speaking of external reverence, whereas eulabes speaks of internal reference. Eusebés describes one who externalizes the heart feeling in acts of worship and veneration. And well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there - In other words Ananias had a good testimony among the Jews. This fact was also not mentioned in the Acts 9 testimony and presumably again because he was addressing a Jewish audience. Well spoken of (3140)(martureo from mártus = witness = one who has information or knowledge of something and can bring to light or confirm something. English = martyr) in its most basic sense refers to a legal witness. Thus the verb martureo means to be a witness, to give evidence, to give testimony, to bear record, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something. In this case since Ananias was a believer in Jesus, he gave a good testimony about Jesus Who was now His life (Col 3:4+). The point is that while he may have witnessed with his words, he also clearly witnessed with his works (so to speak). Martureo is used with a similar meaning in Acts 6:3+ to describe prospective servants as "men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom." This word describes Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews." (Acts 10:22+). Paul had used this same verb earlier in Acts 22:5 of the Jewish religious leaders who could testify Paul rabid persecuted Christians (Acts 22:4-5).